Award-winning musician Simphiwe Dana has issued a statement regarding the countercharges laid against her by her ex-fiancé.
Image: Simphiwe Dana IG
In the statement, Simphiwe shares she laid charges against her ex after he physically abused her. Thereafter, her ex also filed a charge of assault and crimen injuria against her. The statement reads in part, “She was informed in light of this development, she would be arrested and imprisoned, as per procedure where such charges are laid. In response, she handed herself to the Norwood Police Station on the 16th of January, and was incarcerated in the holding cells.”
The statement also shares that the charges against Simphiwe were dropped and she was released after the prosecutor declined to prosecute the case.
In the statement, Simphiwe shared her disappointment with the criminal justice system on its treatment of gender-based violence victims. She shared in part; “My experience has been a disturbing revelation about how the criminal justice system can be manipulated to re-victimize and harass victims of intimate-partner abuse. There appears to be an increasing trend of abusers laying counter-assault charges against their victims as an intimidation tactic.”
;She continued, “The swiftness with which the police respond to the countercharges by imprisoning the survivor serves to perpetuate inequality and revictimization. I have to wonder why the justice system does not allow one process to conclude before addressing the countercharges.”
She concluded by saying that she will see her case through to the end. “In a society where violence against women is such a scourge, surely this merits some kind of review? For my part, I will continue with my case, and am committed to seeing it through the end.”
Simphiwe Dana issues statement regarding countercharges laid against her. Here’s a look at the full statement.
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Simphiwe shared the details of the physical attack on social media. She shared in part; “This guy spat in my face. Strangled me. Told me he would slit my throat and get away with it. Said his friend in the police force runs the province”
She added; “I don’t play that game. In a world where we have sleepless nights for our daughters. A man threatening me in this way will have all my wrath. His name is Leshoto Itsweng.”
